A former mayor of Newton Abbot who sexually assaulted a vulnerable man has escaped an immediate jail term.

Allan Vizor had been invited to the 37-year-old victim's home for a cup of tea, but touched him in the groin area as they sat on a sofa.

The offence happened when married Vizor, a former traffic warden, visited the 'vulnerable' man in September 2008, two days after they had met at a charity event.

Exeter Crown Court heard Vizor, who was still a councillor then, abused his position as a dignitary to assault the man, who suffered pyschological damage as a result.

The 65-year-old, of Newcross Park, Kingsteignton, has since been expelled from the Conservative Party and has quit his council seat following the jury's verdict.

The court heard that Vizor, pictured right, failed to tell care home bosses that he had also been sacked as a traffic warden for sexual misconduct for being a voyeur in a public toilet where he worked.

On Monday, Judge Paul Darlow jailed Vizor for 26 weeks for the sexual assault and two weeks concurrently for a fraud, but suspended it for two years.

Vizor was given a sexual offences prevention order and has to sign on the Sex Offenders register, as well as pay his victim £900 compensation for pyschological damage.

Judge Darlow said Vizor groomed and exploited his victim and the damage to his reputation by the conviction was a 'punishment of some severity'.

Vizor admitted fraud when he failed to tell a care home boss that he had been sacked from his job as a traffic warden for sexual misconduct after a Peeping Tom incident in a public toilet.

The court heard he had quit as a councillor.

Defence lawyer Rupert Taylor said this was 'a punishment in itself after many years as a public servant'.

Vizor denied sexual assault, but was convicted by a jury. He had admitted the Criminal Records Bureau check fraud.